Electric power-assisted bicycle

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is an electric power-assisted bicycle which includes a speed reducer, an electric motor, and a transmission mechanism in parallel along an axle, and thus the devices are made compact. In order to solve the problem mentioned above, the electric power-assisted bicycle includes a transmission mechanism ( 3 ), a speed reduction mechanism ( 16 ) and a drive motor ( 15 ) which are arranged in parallel in the direction of the axle, inside a rear hub ( 1 ) of a drive wheel, wherein the transmission mechanism ( 3 ) and the speed reduction mechanism ( 16 ) are each formed by planetary gear mechanisms, and a planetary carrier ( 3   c ) is shared between the transmission mechanism and the speed reduction mechanism.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to an electric power-assisted bicycle in which supplementary force is added to a human power drive system by an electric motor.

BACKGROUND ART

There are various kinds of transmissions of a bicycle. Among the transmissions, generally, there are a type (an exterior transmission) which provides multistage sprockets in any one of a crank shaft and a rear axle or on both coaxes and changes gears by moving a chain between the sprockets using a derailleur, and a type (an interior transmission) which changes gears by exchanging a gear provided inside a rear hub of a rear wheel serving as a drive wheel.

Although the exterior transmission has a simple structure and is lightweight, it becomes a cause of wear on the sprocket and the chain and also a cause of loosening of the chain. Meanwhile, since the interior transmission has an advantage in that protection against dust and waterproofness are excellent and maintenance is free, the interior transmission is widely used for urban cycles.

However, in an electric power-assisted bicycle in which an electric motor adds supplementary force to a human power drive system, there has been an electric power-assisted bicycle which includes a motor, a speed reducer, and a transmission mechanism in the rear hub of the rear wheel serving as the drive wheel of the bicycle.

A so-called rear hub motor type electric power-assisted bicycle provided with a driving motor in the rear hub can use any one of the exterior transmission and the interior transmission when being combined with the transmission.

When using the exterior transmission, since the hub is mainly constituted by the motor and the speed reducer, the structure thereof is simplified, but there is a problem of maintenance due to the exterior transmission as mentioned above. Meanwhile, when using the interior transmission, since the structure of the hub is constituted by the motor, the speed reducer, and the transmission mechanism, the structure of the hub itself is complicated, but since there is an advantage owing to the interior transmission as mentioned above, it is advantageous.

At the present time, the electric power-assisted bicycle has been mainly used in urban cycles, and has mostly adopted the interior transmission. Thus, it also is considered preferable that the rear hub motor type electric power-assisted bicycle adopt the interior transmission.

As the structure of the electric power-assisted bicycle including such an interior transmission, for example, there are structures described in Patent Documents 1 and 2.

In such a structure, an electric motor (motor), a speed reduction mechanism, and a transmission mechanism are placed in the rear hub. As a driving mechanism using the electric motor, a driving electric motor and a speed reduction mechanism of a driving system that reduces the number of revolutions of the electric motor are provided. Furthermore, as an input mechanism of the human power, an inputting sprocket is provided in an axle of a drive wheel, and the transmission mechanism and the speed reduction mechanism are sequentially placed toward an outer circumference from the axle.

The rear hub includes a rotation casing and a fixed casing, the input mechanism of the human power system is placed on the rotation casing side, and the driving mechanism using the electric motor is mainly placed on the fixed casing side.

The human power applied by a pedal is transmitted to the sprocket of the drive wheel by a chain, is transmitted to the speed reduction mechanism of the human power system after being shifted by the transmission mechanism, and rotates the drive wheel through the rotation casing. Furthermore, driving force due to the electric motor is decelerated by a speed reduction mechanism of an electric power system provided separately from the speed reduction mechanism of the human power system mentioned above, and then, the human power driving force is combined with the electric driving force in the rotation casing and is transmitted to the drive wheel.

At this time, the driving force due to the human power converted into an electric signal, and an electric signal of a running speed from a speed sensor are input to a control section included in the electric power-assisted bicycle , and the control section outputs a driving signal based on a predetermined condition to control the electric motor.

However, in such a structure, the electric motor is placed in a position which deviates from an axial center of the axle. For this reason, there is a problem in that an outer diameter of the hub is increased. When the outer diameter of the hub is large, a weight balance tends to worsen.

At this point, according to the structure described in Patent Documents 3 and 4, since there is a configuration in which the speed reduction mechanism, the electric motor, and the transmission mechanism are added on the axle, an increase in size of the hub can be suppressed.

That is, in such a structure, the speed reduction mechanism, the electric motor and the transmission mechanism are added in the rear hub serving as the rear wheel of the drive wheel in a vehicle width direction, and the human power applied by the pedal is transmitted to the sprocket of the rear wheel via the chain, is shifted by the transmission mechanism via a one-way clutch, and then rotates the drive wheel through the rotation casing. Furthermore, the driving force due to the electric motor is decelerated by a speed reduction mechanism constituted by a planetary gear mechanism provided around the axle, and then the human power driving force is combined with the electric driving force in the rotation casing and the combined force is transmitted to the drive wheel.

Prior Art Documents Patent Documents

Patent document 1: JP Patent publication 9-58568A Patent document 2: JP Patent publication 2000-043780A Patent document 3: JP Patent publication 2002-293285A Patent document 4: JP Patent publication 2003-160089 A

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Object of the Invention

However, according to the structure described in Patent Documents 3 and 4, the output from the electric motor is transmitted to a hub case (rotation casing) via the speed reduction mechanism, and the driving force from the pedal is transmitted to the hub case (rotation casing) via the transmission mechanism.

For this reason, three mechanisms of the speed reduction mechanism, the electric motor and the transmission mechanism arranged in a row along the axial center of the axle each have an independent structure. That is, the transfer mechanism of the human power driving force and the transfer mechanism of the electric driving force are individually interposed in each different route.

Since a space of the drive wheel in the axle direction is limited, in such a structure, the space of the transmission mechanism is reduced, and thus it is difficult to increase the number of speeds.

Thus, an object of the present invention is to make the apparatus compact in a configuration in which three mechanisms of a speed reduction mechanism, an electric motor and a transmission mechanism are provided in parallel along an axial center of an axle.

Means to Achieve the Object

In order to solve the problems mentioned above, according to an aspect of the present invention, in a configuration in which a transmission mechanism, a speed reduction mechanism, and a driving motor are arranged in parallel in an axle direction in a hub of a drive wheel, the transmission mechanism and the speed reduction mechanism are each constituted by a planetary gear mechanism, and compactness in the axle direction is promoted by sharing a planetary carrier between the transmission mechanism and the speed reduction mechanism.

According to a specific configuration, there is provided an electric power-assisted bicycle including: a drive wheel that includes a hub and an axle, a transmission mechanism, a speed reduction mechanism, a driving motor; and a transmission control mechanism, the transmission mechanism, the speed reduction mechanism, and the driving motor being placed in juxtaposition with each other in an axial direction of the axle in the hub of the drive wheel, wherein the transmission mechanism has a function of transmitting driving force due to leg-power from a pedal to the drive wheel via a sprocket, the speed reduction mechanism has a function of transmitting driving force from the driving motor to the drive wheel, the transmission mechanism is constituted by a planetary gear mechanism including at least one sun gear for transmission, planetary gears for transmission meshed with the sun gear for transmission, and a planetary carrier for transmission supporting the planetary gears for transmission, the transmission control mechanism performs a gear shifting such that the sun gear for transmission is switched over in a rotatable and non-rotatable manner around the axle with respect to the driving force from the sprocket, the speed reduction mechanism includes is constituted by the planetary gear mechanism including at least one sun gear for speed reducer, and planetary gears for speed reducer meshed with the sun gear for speed reducer, and the planetary gears for speed reducer is supported by the planetary carrier for transmission or a member that is rotated integrally with the planetary carrier for transmission.

According to the configuration, the planetary gear for speed reducer is held by the planetary carrier for transmission or the member rotated integrally with the planetary carrier for transmission. That is, since the planetary carrier for transmission and the planetary carrier for speed reducer form an integrally rotating structure, the carrier can be shared between the transmission mechanism and the speed reduction mechanism, and thus compactness of the apparatus in the axle direction can be realized.

In the configuration, the sprocket is provided on a first end of the axle, the driving motor is provided on a second end of the axle, and the transmission mechanism and the speed reduction mechanism can adopt a configuration provided between the sprocket and the driving motor.

When the transmission mechanism and the speed reduction mechanism are provided between the sprocket of the first end of the axle and the driving motor of the second end thereof, since the planetary carrier for transmission and the planetary carrier for speed reducer come close to each other, the structure for sharing the carrier between the transmission mechanism and the speed reduction mechanism can be further simplified.

Furthermore, in the respective configurations, a regeneration mechanism can also be added. That is, the configuration includes the regeneration mechanism in which a one-way clutch for reverse input is provided between the sun gear for transmission and the axle, and by locking the one-way clutch for reverse input, the reverse input can be transmitted from the drive wheel to the driving motor, and regeneration electric power generated by the reverse input is returned to a secondary battery.

As the one-way clutch for reverse input, for example, a ratchet clutch mechanism may be adopted.

According to the configuration including the one-way clutch for reverse input, at the time of drive advance, driving force is transmitted from the sprocket of the drive wheel to the hub via the transmission mechanism, and the bicycle advances. At this time, regarding the driving force, the one-way clutch for reverse input always idles.

Meanwhile, during forward freewheeling, the reverse input is transmitted to the motor via the one-way clutch for reverse input, and thus regeneration power generation is possible. That is, the one-way clutch for reverse input is provided between the sun gear and the axle so that the sun gear cannot always turn around the axle with respect to the reverse input from the tire. Accordingly, the reverse input from the tire is transmitted to the driving motor, and thus the regeneration charging is possible.

At this time, although the reverse input from the tire is always transmitted to the driving motor, since performance of the regeneration charging can be controlled by a known control mechanism provided separately, for example, it is possible to turn the switch of the regeneration charging on by the operation of the brake lever.

Furthermore, the transmission control mechanism can adopt a configuration in which the one-way clutches for transmission are included between the sun gear for transmission and the axle, and the gear shifting is performed by switching any one of the sun gear for transmission so as to be non-rotatable around the axle while switching the other thereof so as to be rotatable by each of the one-way clutches for transmission.

In addition, although a known one-way clutch can be adopted as the structure of the one-way clutch for transmission, for example, a ratchet clutch mechanism can be adopted.

Because there is a limitation in the space in the hub, a length of each sun gear in the axle direction needs to be short. For this reason, by constituting the one-way clutch for reverse input and the one-way clutch for transmission by the ratchet clutch, it is possible to place a one-way clutch claw for transmission and a one-way clutch claw for reverse input in the same position in the axle direction, and thus the axial length of the sun gear can be reduced.

When the ratchet clutch is adopted as the one-way clutch for transmission, for example, it is possible to adopt a configuration in which the transmission control mechanism includes a sleeve for transmission that is fitted around the axle, and by rotating the sleeve for transmission around the axle, the one-way clutch for transmission is switched between a rotatable state and a non-rotatable state.

Since there is a limitation in the space of the axle in the hub in the axial direction, in this manner, the transmission control mechanism preferably uses a mechanism that performs the switch-over of each one-way clutch for transmission by rotating (oscillating) the sleeve for transmission around the axle.

As a specific example thereof, the one-way clutch for transmission has a clutch cam surface for transmission on one side of the sun gear for transmission and the axle, and has an oscillatory gear shifting clutch claw that can be meshed with the clutch cam surface for transmission on the other side thereof, the sleeve for transmission has a cutout portion in a part in a circumferential direction thereof, the cutout portion is moved between the position of the clutch cam surface for transmission and a position retracted from the clutch cam surface for transmission by rotating the sleeve for transmission around the axle, and the switch-over of the one-way clutch for transmission is performed by the movement.

Furthermore, as the planetary gear for speed reducer included in the speed reduction mechanism, for example, two-stage gears can be used. By using two-stage gears as the planetary gear, a high speed reduction ratio can be obtained. Of course, since the number of stages can be arbitrarily set depending on the specification required for the electric power-assisted bicycle , for example, one stage can be set, and three or more stages can be set.

In addition, it is possible to adopt a configuration in which the output shaft of the driving motor and the axle are connected to each other in a coaxial form, and the output shaft and the axle are supported by a bearing in a relatively rotatable manner. By supporting the axle and the output shaft of the driving motor by the bearing in a relatively rotatable manner, rigidity of the axle and the driving motor is improved.

Advantages of the Invention

The present invention can make the apparatus compact in the configuration which includes three mechanisms of the speed reducer, the electric motor and the transmission mechanism in parallel along the axial center of the axle.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front view upon driving of an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is an entire view of an electric power-assisted bicycle.

BEST MODE FOR EMBODYING THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the present invention will be described based on the drawings. An electric power-assisted bicycle of the present embodiment is a rear hub motor type electric power-assisted bicycle 30 in which a driving motor 15 is provided inside a hub 1 (hereinafter referred to as a “rear hub 1”) of a rear wheel serving as a drive wheel as shown in FIG. 2.

At the time of driving, that is, when leg-power transmitted from a crankshaft through a pedal 35 is input, driving force can be transmitted to the rear wheel via a power transmitting element 34 such as a chain connecting a sprocket 4 (hereinafter referred to as a “rear sprocket 4”) of the rear wheel.

The driving force due to the output of the driving motor 15 can be transmitted to the rear wheel via a speed reduction mechanism 16 in the hub.

During forward freewheeling, reverse input from the rear wheel is transmitted to the driving motor 15 via the speed reduction mechanism 16 (in the case of reverse input, speed is increased) or the like, and a regeneration mechanism which returns regeneration electric power generated by reverse input to a secondary battery 33 supported by a frame 31 is provided.

As shown in FIG. 1, the rear hub 1 includes a transmission mechanism 3, a speed reduction mechanism 16 and a driving motor 15 inside a hub case 7 provided in the same shaft as an axle 5 of the rear wheel. The transmission mechanism 3 is constituted by a planetary gear mechanism in which the speed can be increased in three stages.

The transmission mechanism 3 includes sun gears 3 a provided on an outer circumference of the axle 5 via one-way clutches 3 e for transmission. In the embodiment, the sun gears 3 a are constituted by three sun gears, that is, a first sun gear 3 a-1, a second sun gear 3 a-2 and a third sun gear 3 a-3.

The first sun gear 3 a-1, the second sun gear 3 a-2 and the third sun gear 3 a-3 are connected via a first one-way clutch 3 e-1, a second one-way clutch 3 e-2 and a third one-way clutch 3 e-3.

A one-way clutch 2 for reverse input is included between the third sun gear 3 a-3 and the axle 5.

In the present embodiment, a ratchet clutch is adopted as each of the first one-way clutch 3 e-1, the second one-way clutch 3 e-2, the third one-way clutch 3 e-3, and the one way clutch 2 for reverse input.

Each of the first one-way clutch 3 e-1, the second one-way clutch 3 e-2, the third one-way clutch 3 e-3, and the one way clutch 2 for reverse input has a structure in which a clutch claw is engaged with or disengaged from a clutch cam surface provided on the outer circumference of the axle 5. In addition, one end of each clutch claw is biased toward the clutch cam surface in a rising direction by an elastic member.

Since there is a limitation in a space in the rear hub 1, a length of the sun gears 3 a for transmission in the axial direction of the axle 5 should be set as short as possible. In the present embodiment, by constituting the one-way clutch 2 for reverse input and the one-way clutches 3 e for transmission by the ratchet clutch, it is possible to place the clutch claw of the one-way clutch 2 for reverse input and one of the clutch claws of the one-way clutches 3 e for transmission in the same position in the axial direction of the axle 5. Thus, shortening of the length of the sun gears 3 a for transmission in the axial direction is realized.

The one-way clutch 2 for reverse input may be provided between the first sun gear 3 a-1 and the axle 5, or between the second sun gear 3 a-2 and the axle 5.

The transmission mechanism 3 includes planetary gears 3 b for transmission each having three gear portions having different numbers of teeth and meshing with the first sun gear 3 a-1, the second sun gear 3 a-2 and the third sun gear 3 a-3, respectively, a planetary carrier 3 c for transmission supporting the planetary gears 3 b for transmission, an outer ring gear 3 d for transmission meshed with the planetary gears 3 b for transmission, and a hub case 7 integral with the outer ring gear 3 d.

In the present embodiment, although the outer ring gear 3 d for transmission is formed integrally with the hub case 7, it is also possible to consider a configuration in which the outer ring gear 3 d for transmission is formed separately from the hub case 7 and both of the outer ring gear 3 d and the hub case 7 mesh with each other so as to be rotated together.

Furthermore, bearing portions 11 and 12 are provided between the planetary carrier 3 c for transmission and the axle 5, and between the hub case 7 and the planetary carrier 3 c for transmission, respectively. The planetary carrier 3 c for transmission and the axle 5, and the planetary carrier 3 c for transmission and the hub case 7 are supported so as to be relatively rotatable by the respective bearing portions 11 and 12.

Furthermore, a bearing portion 13 is provided between a motor housing 15 b holding the driving motor 15 and the hub case 7. The motor housing 15 b, the hub case 7 and the axle 5 are supported by the bearing portion 13 so as to be relatively rotatable.

In the present embodiment, the outer ring gear is meshed with the gear portion of each planetary gear 3 b having the second largest number of teeth among the three gear portions of each planetary gear 3 b for transmission. The outer ring gear may be meshed with another gear portion. But since the speed increasing ratio can be increased, the present embodiment is preferable.

Any one of the sun gears 3 a for transmission (corresponding to the first sun gear 3 a-1, the second sun gear 3 a-2, and the third sun gear 3 a-3) can be selectively fixed to the axle 5 against the driving force through operation of a transmission control mechanism 10. That is, by operating the transmission control mechanism 10, any one of the first sun gear 3 a-1, the second sun gear 3 a-2, and the third sun gear 3 a-3 can be rotationally fixed to the axle 5 against driving force through the corresponding one of the first one-way clutch 3 e-1, second one-way clutch 3 e-2, and third one-way clutch 3 e-3. At that time, the unfixed gears are switched so as to be relatively rotatable with respect to the axle 5.

For example, when the first sun gear 3 a-1 is fixed to the axle 5 and the second sun gear 3 a-2 and the third sun gear 3 a-3 are not fixed to the axle 5, rotation speed from the rear sprocket 4 is increased from the planetary carrier 3 c for transmission and is transmitted to the hub case 7 (the outer. ring gear 3 d for transmission).

At this time, when the number of teeth of the first sun gear 3 a-1 is a, the number of teeth of each planetary gear 3 b for transmission meshed with the second sun gear 3 a-2 is b, the number of teeth of each planetary gear 3 b for transmission meshed with the first sun gear 3a-1 is c, and the number of teeth of the outer ring gear 3 d for transmission is d, the speed increasing ratio from the planetary carrier 3 c for transmission to the outer ring gear 3 d for transmission is [(a×b)/(c×d)]+1. At this time, the second sun gear 3 a-2 and the third sun gear 3 a-3 are idling, and are not involved in torque transmission.

When fixing the second sun gear 3 a-2 to the axle 5, if the number of teeth of the second sun gear 3 a-2 is a and the number of teeth of the outer ring gear 3 d for transmission is d, the speed increasing ratio from the planetary carrier 3 c for transmission to the outer ring gear 3 d for transmission is (a+d)/d.

When fixing the third sun gear 3 a-3 to the axle 5, if the number of teeth of the third sun gear 3 a-3 is a, the number of teeth of the planetary gears 3 b for transmission meshed with the second sun gear 3 a-2 is b, the number of teeth of the planetary gears 3 b for transmission meshed with the third sun gear 3 a-3 is c, and the number of teeth of the outer ring gear 3 d for transmission is d, the speed increasing ratio from the planetary carrier 3 c for transmission to the outer ring gear 3 d for transmission is [(a×b)/(c×d)]+1.

The switch-over of the one-way clutch 3 e for transmission using the transmission control mechanism 10, that is, the switch-over operation for locking one selected among the first one-way clutch 3 e-1, the second one-way clutch 3 e-2 and the third one-way clutch 3 e-3 and making others free, can be performed by rotating a sleeve 10 b for transmission provided on the outer circumference of the axle 5 around the axis of the axle 5. The rotation operation of the sleeve 10 b for transmission can be performed by an operation portion 10 a provided at the end portion of the axle 5.

As a configuration of the sleeve 10 b for transmission, a cutout portion is formed in a part in a circumferential direction thereof, the cutout portion is moved between the position of each clutch cam surface for transmission and the position retracted from the clutch cam surface for transmission by rotating the sleeve 10 b for transmission around the axis of the axle 5, and the one-way clutches 3 e for transmission are switched over by this movement. When the cutout portion is present in the portion of the clutch claw of any one of the ratchet clutches, this clutch claw can be engaged with the clutch cam surface, and when the cutout portion does not face, the engagement of the clutch claw with the clutch cam surface is restricted by the sleeve 10 b for transmission.

The speed reduction mechanism 16 uses teeth provided on the outer circumference of the output shaft 15 a of the driving motor 15 as a sun gear 16 a for speed reducer, and includes two-stage planetary gears 16 b for speed reducer meshed with the sun gear 16 a for speed reducer, an outer ring gear 16 d (fixed) for speed reducer integrated with the motor housing 15 b, and a planetary carrier which holds the planetary gears 16 b for speed reducer.

The planetary carrier for speed reducer is constituted by the planetary carrier 3 c for transmission included in the transmission mechanism 3. That is, the planetary gears 3 b for transmission and the planetary gears 16 b for speed reducer are supported on the planetary carrier 3 c for transmission by common shafts 16 c. By sharing the planetary carrier between the transmission mechanism and the speed reduction mechanism, compactness in the axle direction is promoted.

In the present embodiment, the output shaft 15 a of the driving motor 15 and the axle 5 are connected to each other by a bearing 20 so as to be coaxial with each other. The output shaft 15 a and the axle 5 can be relatively rotated around the shaft by the bearing 20. By supporting the output shaft 15 a of the driving motor 15 by the bearing 20 with respect to the axle 5 in a relatively rotatable manner, it is possible to expect an effect of improvement in rigidity of the axle 5 and the driving motor 15.

As shown in FIG. I, the driving motor 15 is arranged in juxtaposition with the transmission mechanism 3 in the axial direction, and output of the driving motor 15 is slowed down and transmitted to the planetary carrier 3 c for transmission via the speed reduction mechanism 16.

Output from the planetary carrier 3 c for transmission is increased by the transmission mechanism 3 and transmitted to the hub case 7. The speed increasing ratio of this time differs depending on the states of the first one-way clutch 3 e-1, the second one-way clutch 3 e-2, and the third one-way clutch 3 e-3 using the transmission control mechanism 10.

Output from the driving motor 15 is set as below. When the number of teeth of the planetary gears 16 b for speed reducer meshed with the sun gear 16 a for speed reducer is a, the number of teeth of the outer ring gear 16 d for speed reducer is b, the number of teeth of the sun gear 16 a for speed reducer is c, and the number of teeth of the planetary gears 16 b for speed reducer meshed with the outer ring gear 16 d for speed reducer is d, the speed reducing ratio from the sun gear 16 a for speed reducer to the planetary carrier 3 c for transmission is [(a×b)/(c×d)]+1.

During forward freewheeling, reverse input from the tire is transmitted from the hub case 7 to the planetary gear 3 b for transmission. At this time, the third sun gear 3 a-3 is fixed to the axle 5 against reverse input by the one-way clutch 2 for reverse input provided between the third sun gear 3 a-3 and the axle 5.

As a consequence, reverse input from the tire is reduced via the transmission mechanism 3, transmitted to the planetary carrier 3 c, and increased and transmitted to the driving motor 15 via the speed reduction mechanism 16, and thus the regeneration charging is possible.

At this time, the third sun gear 3 a-3 is fixed to the axle 5 against reverse input without depending on the states of the first one-way clutch 3 e-1, the second one-way clutch 3 e-2, and the third one-way clutch 3 e-3 using the transmission control mechanism 10.

With such a configuration, the driving force (leg-force) from the rear sprocket 4 is increased and is transmitted to the tire. Furthermore, the driving force from the driving motor 15 is reduced via the speed reduction mechanism 16, transmitted to the planetary carrier 3 c for transmission, then increased via the transmission mechanism 3 and transmitted to the tire.

Meanwhile, reverse input torque from the tire is reduced by the speed reduction mechanism 3, increased by the speed reduction mechanism 16, and transmitted to the driving motor 15, and thus the regeneration charging is possible.

In the present embodiment, the number of stages of the planetary gears 3 b for transmission is three and a three-stage transmission mechanism 3 is adopted, but the number of stages of the planetary gears 3 b for transmission can be two, or four or more.

As another configuration of the transmission control mechanism 10, it is also possible to consider moving and operating the sleeve 10 b for transmission in the axial direction of the axle 5. That is, by moving the sleeve 10 b for transmission in the axial direction of the axle 5, the cutout portion is moved between the position of each clutch cam surface for transmission and the position retracted from the clutch cam surface for transmission, and the one-way clutches 3 e for transmission are switched over by this movement.

In the embodiment, in the one-way clutch 3 e for transmission constituted by the ratchet clutch, although a type of switching the engagement of each clutch claw of the ratchet clutch with the clutch cam surface to a state in which the engagement can be made by the sleeve 10 b for transmission and a state in which the engagement cannot be made has been adopted, as means for switching the axle 5 and the sun gear 3 a for transmission into a relatively rotatable state and a relatively non-rotatable state, other configurations may be adopted. Furthermore, as the transmission mechanism, a known bicycle transmission mechanism may be used.

In the present embodiment, although the first one-way clutch 3 e-1, the second one-way clutch 3 e-2, the third one-way clutch 3 e-3, and the one-way clutch 2 for reverse input each adopt a ratchet clutch, a one-way clutch constituted by other configurations such as a roller clutch, and a sprag clutch may be adopted.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NUMERALS

1. Rear hub (hub)

2. One-way clutch for reverse input

3. Transmission mechanism

3 a. Sun gear for transmission

3 a-1. First sun gear

3 a-2. Second sun gear

3 a-3. Third sun gear

3 b. Planetary gear for transmission

3 c. Planetary carrier for transmission

3 d. Outer ring gear for transmission

3 e. One-way clutch for transmission

3 e-1. First one-way clutch

3 e-2. Second one-way clutch

3 e-3. Third one-way clutch

4. Rear sprocket (sprocket)

5. Axle

6. Hub flange

7. Hub case

10. Transmission control mechanism

10 a. Transmission operation portion

10 b. Sleeve for transmission

11, 12, 13. Bearing portion

15. Driving motor

15 a. Output shaft

15 b. Motor housing

16. Speed reduction mechanism

16 a. Sun gear for speed reducer

16 b. Planetary gear for speed reducer

16 c. Shaft

16 d. Outer ring gear for speed reducer

20. Bearing

30. Electric power-assisted bicycle

31. Frame

32. Rear wheel

33. Secondary battery

34. Power transmitting element

35. Pedal 

1. An electric power-assisted bicycle comprising: a drive wheel including a hub (1) and an axle (5), a transmission mechanism (3); a speed reduction mechanism (16); a driving motor (15); and a transmission control mechanism (10), the transmission mechanism (3), the speed reduction mechanism (16), and the driving motor (15) being placed in juxtaposition with each other in an axial direction of the axle (5) in the hub (1) of the drive wheel, wherein the transmission mechanism (3) has a function of transmitting driving force due to leg-power from pedals to the drive wheel through a sprocket (4), the speed reduction mechanism (16) has a function of transmitting driving force from the driving motor (15) to the drive wheel, the transmission mechanism (3) is constituted by a planetary gear mechanism comprising at least one sun gear (3 a), planetary gears (3 b) for transmission meshed with the sun gear (3 a) for transmission, and a planetary carrier (3 c) for transmission supporting the planetary gears (3 b) for transmission, the transmission control mechanism (10) performs gear shifting such that the sun gear for transmission is switched over in a rotatable and non-rotatable manner around the axle (5) with respect to the driving force from the sprocket (4), the speed reduction mechanism (16) is constituted by the planetary gear mechanism comprising at least one sun gear (16 a) for speed reducer, and planetary gears (16 b) for speed reducer meshed with the sun gear (16 a) for speed reducer, and the planetary gears (16 b) for speed reducer is supported by the planetary carrier (3 c) for transmission or a member that is rotated integrally with the planetary carrier (3 c) for transmission.
 2. The electric power-assisted bicycle according to claim 1, wherein the sprocket (4) is provided at a first end of the axle (5), the driving motor (15) is provided at a second end of the axle (5), and the transmission mechanism (3) and the speed reduction mechanism (16) are provided between the sprocket (4) and the driving motor (5).
 3. The electric power-assisted bicycle according to claim 1, further comprising: a one-way clutch (2) for reverse input provided between the sun gear (3 a) for transmission and the axle (5); a secondary battery; and a regeneration mechanism; wherein a reverse input is transmitted from the drive wheel to the driving motor (15) via the one-way clutch (2) for reverse input in a state where the one-way clutch (2) for reverse input is locked, and the regeneration mechanism returns regeneration electric power generated by the reverse input to the secondary battery.
 4. The electric power-assisted bicycle according to claim 3, wherein the one-way clutch (2) for reverse input is constituted by a ratchet clutch mechanism.
 5. The electric power-assisted bicycle according to claim 1, wherein the transmission control mechanism (10) includes one-way clutches (3 e) for transmission between the sun gear (3 a) for transmission and the axle (5), and the gear shifting is performed by switching any one of the sun gears (3 a) for transmission so as to be non-rotatable around the axle (5) while switching the other thereof so as to be rotatable by each of the one-way clutches (3 e) for transmission.
 6. The electric power-assisted bicycle according to claim 5, wherein the one-way clutch (3 e) for transmission is constituted by a ratchet clutch mechanism.
 7. The electric power-assisted bicycle according to claim 6, wherein the transmission control mechanism (10) includes a sleeve (10 b) for transmission that is fitted around the axle (5), and by rotating the sleeve (10 b) for transmission around the axle, the one-way clutch (3 e) for transmission is switched between a rotatable state and a non-rotatable state.
 8. The electric power-assisted bicycle according to claim 7, wherein the one-way clutch (3 e) for transmission has a clutch cam surface for transmission on one side of the sun gear (3 a) for transmission and the axle (5), and has an oscillatory gear shifting clutch claw that is able to be meshed with the clutch cam surface for transmission on the other side thereof, the sleeve (10 b) for transmission has a cutout portion in a part in a circumferential direction thereof, the cutout portion is moved between a position of the clutch cam surface for transmission and a position retracted from the clutch cam surface for transmission by rotating the sleeve (10 b) for transmission around the axle (5), and the switch-over of the one-way clutch (3 e) for transmission is performed by the movement.
 9. The electric power-assisted bicycle according to claim 1, wherein the planetary gear (16 b) for speed reducer is a two-stage gear.
 10. The electric power-assisted bicycle according to claim 1, wherein an output shaft (15 a) of the driving motor (15) and the axle (5) are connected to each other in a coaxial form, and the output shaft (15 a) and the axle (5) are supported by a bearing (20) in a relatively rotatable manner.
 11. The electric power-assisted bicycle according to claim 2, further comprising: a one-way clutch (2) for reverse input provided between the sun gear (3 a) for transmission and the axle (5); a secondary battery; and a regeneration mechanism; wherein a reverse input is transmitted from the drive wheel to the driving motor (15) via the one-way clutch (2) for reverse input in a state where the one-way clutch (2) for reverse input is locked, and the regeneration mechanism returns regeneration electric power generated by the reverse input to the secondary battery.
 12. The electric power-assisted bicycle according to claim 2, wherein the transmission control mechanism (10) includes one-way clutches (3 e) for transmission between the sun gear (3 a) for transmission and the axle (5), and the gear shifting is performed by switching any one of the sun gears (3 a) for transmission so as to be non-rotatable around the axle (5) while switching the other thereof so as to be rotatable by each of the one-way clutches (3 e) for transmission.
 13. The electric power-assisted bicycle according to claim 3, wherein the transmission control mechanism (10) includes one-way clutches (3 e) for transmission between the sun gear (3 a) for transmission and the axle (5), and the gear shifting is performed by switching any one of the sun gears (3 a) for transmission so as to be non-rotatable around the axle (5) while switching the other thereof so as to be rotatable by each of the one-way clutches (3 e) for transmission.
 14. The electric power-assisted bicycle according to claim 4, wherein the transmission control mechanism (10) includes one-way clutches (3 e) for transmission between the sun gear (3 a) for transmission and the axle (5), and the gear shifting is performed by switching any one of the sun gears (3 a) for transmission so as to be non-rotatable around the axle (5) while switching the other thereof so as to be rotatable by each of the one-way clutches (3 e) for transmission. 